The invention relates to the field of exhaust fans, and more particularly to exhaust vent fans for bathrooms and the like. Specifically, the invention relates to an improved exhaust fan that may be installed in a ceiling panel, or the like, in an arbitrary orientation about an axis perpendicular to the ceiling panel to permit easier mounting therein.
Exhaust vent fans are typically mounted in ceilings or walls by fastening directly to joists or studs. As such, the installed fan may only be oriented in a limited number of ways. Because vent fans typically have exhaust outlets fixed in orientation relative to the fan housing, the manner of connecting exhaust ducting to the outlets is similarly limited. As a result, the placement and orientation of an exhaust vent fan may be restricted or involve additional installation expense.
During installation of an exhaust vent fan, it is necessary to connect electrical wiring to the fan. Both Underwriter's Laboratory, Inc., and the National Electrical Code require that strain relief be provided to prevent the wiring from being pulled out of the fan. Generally, a separate strain relief must be installed on the fan before the wiring can be connected. This may increase the number of parts installed, or involve an additional installation step, thereby increasing the installation expense or delay.
Also during installation, an exhaust duct is usually connected to an exhaust outlet for directing the vented air or gases to a desired location. Round flexible vinyl or aluminum duct including a heliform wire is often used. Typically, the duct is secured to the outlet with a band clamp, tie wrap, tape, or other fastening means. The use of additional fasteners may add to the cost of or time required for installation.
Furthermore, it is desirable to have an exhaust vent fan that may be assembled quickly and easily with as few tools as possible. It is also desirable to be able to disassemble the fan for cleaning, repair, or replacement. While many fans are capable of being assembled and disassembled with relative ease, the use of a tool, such as a screwdriver, is often required.
Also, it is desirable to manufacture an exhaust vent fan with as few parts as possible. By reducing the parts count, the cost of the fan may be reduced, the difficulty and time of installation may be reduced, and the reliability of the fan may be increased. One manner of reducing parts count is by manufacturing previously separate parts as a single integral part. Another manner of reducing parts count is by designing parts to fulfill functions previously performed by more parts.